Military rules in menswear

It's beyond fashion. Military-inspired clothing has entered the realm of the perennial classic.

BY David Nicholls |
08 October 2010

Paul Smith khaki fur and shearling parka, £1125, PaulSmith.co.uk

Long camouflage coat, £1575, Prada.com ( 0207 647 5000 )

Village camo full zip hoodie by Bathing Ape £240, Bape.com

Crazy military boot by Poste, £145 from Office.co.uk

Skullsta hi trainer by Bathing Ape, £170, Bape.com

Camouflage bags, £475, Pradacom ( 0207 647 5000 )

Asos military funnel neck jacket, £65, Asos.com

Apparently 'military' is major this season. Yawn. I can't remember the last time it wasn't, to be honest. Surely by this point, the great
men's coat
, the epaulette and the combat boot have become such staples in
men's fashion
that we should be talking about this sartorial oeuvre as a timeless classic style rather than a passing fad. To identify it as a menswear trend is about as visionary as claiming that trousers are really popular with men who have legs.

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But lo! There is actually an important message to glean from the fact that the military services - from the army to air force and the French Revolution to the Gulf War - have become perennially favourite sources for designers' inspiration.

By liberating the style from 'trend' to 'staple', we can begin to consider our prospective purchases as investment pieces that will get more than one season's airing. If they are less likely to end up as instant landfill, it stands to reason that it's worth spending a little more.

Burberry Prorsum
is a good place to start, with its shearling lined aviator jackets, oversized pea coats, brass-buttoned parade jackets and epaulette-detailed shirts defining its largely khaki and navy collection. Brighter and more cartoonish are the green and red camouflages that cropped up at
Prada
- on raincoats and accessories galore - from wallets to bags. For the ultimate snorkel parka - albeit one filled with goose feather and lined in bright pink and purple - head to
Paul Smith
. High-laced
men's boots
are one of the key styles and are everywhere. The best ones are from
Salvatore Ferragamo
,
Giorgio Armani
and Ermenegildo Zegna. Whether to tuck in, or out, is up to you.

Trust me when I tell you that if these labels are beyond your means, you will be tripping over options from mid-range brands and high street shops. Search under 'military' on the websites for Topman, ASOS and River Island and you will be spoilt for choice.

So how has such a distinctive style managed to remain so popular since it first crossed the services-civilian divide with the Vietnam protesters in the 1950s? Is it the no-nonsense nature of the look? Do the utilitarian aspects - from pockets and pouches to wind-and-waterproof materials - appeal to a man's innate desire for his clothes to perform real and manly functions? Or is it simply a case that many of us still harbour the latent childhood fantasy of one day growing up to be a big strong soldier?

Isn't it funny how this is one of the few boyhood dreams that men are able to hang on to and continue to express into adulthood through the medium of dress-up? You don't see many of us walking around in an astronaut's suit or fireman's uniform, after all. Because unlike dressing up like a soldier fresh from the trenches of Ypres, that would be weird.